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Huh, I was going to suggest a "best side games based fic" category to temper the PMD debate but then I saw that there wasn't a "game based fic" category to begin with. For some reason I thought there was. Didn't there used to be? Because I was also going to suggest a manga-based category...

Man I'd better work on Obsession if I'm going to qualify for this year's awards. Can't believe it's been over a year since I put out a chapter.

The world's greatest collector as drawn by Yoru Ryu
Fancy Jirarudan too? Then you'll enjoy my fic Obsession! (updated May 30th, 2016)
It's got its own TV Tropes page!
Check out some of my other fics!Answering Machine, winner of Most Heartbreaking Scene 2013!Heart Like A Stone, winner of Most Heartbreaking Fic and 3rd place Best Canon Character-Centric 2014!Solar System, 4th place, Villainous Intent

Huh, I was going to suggest a "best side games based fic" category to temper the PMD debate but then I saw that there wasn't a "game based fic" category to begin with. For some reason I thought there was. Didn't there used to be? Because I was also going to suggest a manga-based category...

Game-Based Fics, huh?

I'm kind of intrigued by that idea, actually. I don't personally remember it existing before, but don't quote me on that.

So what do you guys think, is "Best Game-Based Fic" a good one?

Regarding the "Best Manga-Based Fic" category... I like the idea, but is there really enough activity with manga-based fics to justify it? I might just be unaware of it, so please correct me if I am.

Release the past, escape the future...Most Recent: 20: The Weight of the World (Part 2)Next: Father

Regarding the "Best Manga-Based Fic" category... I like the idea, but is there really enough activity with manga-based fics to justify it? I might just be unaware of it, so please correct me if I am.

Not that I can tell, which is a shame. This would make it really easy to nab that award, though!

Originally Posted by The Great Butler

Game-Based Fics, huh?

I'm kind of intrigued by that idea, actually. I don't personally remember it existing before, but don't quote me on that.

So what do you guys think, is "Best Game-Based Fic" a good one?

Sounds really good, but maybe "best side games based fic" is still for the better? The anime and main line of games still have the same setting and structure, while the spinoffs really are nothing like either. I would personally find it difficult to determine whether a fic not focusing on Ash was based on the games or the anime.

Sounds really good, but maybe "best side games based fic" is still for the better? The anime and main line of games still have the same setting and structure, while the spinoffs really are nothing like either. I would personally find it difficult to determine whether a fic not focusing on Ash was based on the games or the anime.

Hmm, now that I think about it, you have a good point with "Best Side Game-Based Fic." I think it's a little more inclusive, but again, I'll leave it open for comment.

Release the past, escape the future...Most Recent: 20: The Weight of the World (Part 2)Next: Father

Hmm, now that I think about it, you have a good point with "Best Side Game-Based Fic." I think it's a little more inclusive, but again, I'll leave it open for comment.

I'm betting that the popularity of side game fics would be equal to main fics, even with the uprising of PMD fics. So I wouldn't really have too much of a conniption about it...
Though I think "Best Spinoff-Based Fic" would be a smarter title.

That may lead to debate over what constitutes a "spinoff", considering that technically everything other than the primary games is a spinoff, including the anime.

Also, another question, but related--do mixes of continuities count as crossovers? Like I did one recently that (surely wouldn't win any awards but)'s a crossover between gameverse BW and DPA!, so how would that be considered? I mean, it's all Pokemon, but it's also different parts of the franchise.

The world's greatest collector as drawn by Yoru Ryu
Fancy Jirarudan too? Then you'll enjoy my fic Obsession! (updated May 30th, 2016)
It's got its own TV Tropes page!
Check out some of my other fics!Answering Machine, winner of Most Heartbreaking Scene 2013!Heart Like A Stone, winner of Most Heartbreaking Fic and 3rd place Best Canon Character-Centric 2014!Solar System, 4th place, Villainous Intent

That may lead to debate over what constitutes a "spinoff", considering that technically everything other than the primary games is a spinoff, including the anime.

I think the generally accepted answer to this question would be what Bulbapedia lists as spinoff games. A list is here.

I think the only gray area comes with Colosseum and XD.

Also, another question, but related--do mixes of continuities count as crossovers? Like I did one recently that (surely wouldn't win any awards but)'s a crossover between gameverse BW and DPA!, so how would that be considered? I mean, it's all Pokemon, but it's also different parts of the franchise.

In a sense you could use the term "crossover," but I would say it's not truly a crossover unless you're actually using two entirely different things.

Release the past, escape the future...Most Recent: 20: The Weight of the World (Part 2)Next: Father

Ah so it would just apply to games and not the whole franchise...hmm, that should probably still be clarified. And regarding crossovers I meant for the purposes of the contest, of course, since you seem to be in charge again.

The world's greatest collector as drawn by Yoru Ryu
Fancy Jirarudan too? Then you'll enjoy my fic Obsession! (updated May 30th, 2016)
It's got its own TV Tropes page!
Check out some of my other fics!Answering Machine, winner of Most Heartbreaking Scene 2013!Heart Like A Stone, winner of Most Heartbreaking Fic and 3rd place Best Canon Character-Centric 2014!Solar System, 4th place, Villainous Intent

As for some unique kind of characters used in pokemon, what category should it be?

I for one author, a doing a pokefanfic where the protagonist is not a trainer. But rather a photojournalist (people who takes pictures as reports). Of course photojournalists do not work like usual pokemon trainers.

As for some unique kind of characters used in pokemon, what category should it be?

I for one author, a doing a pokefanfic where the protagonist is not a trainer. But rather a photojournalist (people who takes pictures as reports). Of course photojournalists do not work like usual pokemon trainers.

I see huh? Interesting. My story, valiant Emblem, has a protagonist that's not a typical trainer.

But I could see right now that the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Saga. What a grand influence has Chunsoft and Gamefreak's unity crafted as video games that become as popular as the main series itself. You see, I believe that 5th generation's story was grandly influenced by the PMD saga itself, generally explorers. From what I've read at TVTROPES, some guessed that N was the hero of the PMD explorers. I''m like what? Has PMD seriously influence the unova plot?

So I think the other Pokemon spin offs that still can make a name for themselves would be the Pokemon Coliseum Series (along with XD Gale of Darkness a debatable candidate for very dark story concepts), Pokemon Ranger (despite being mediocre, it has a moderate audience), and possibly Pokemon Conquest (despite being recent, many said this has more darker potential in a warlord-ish look where war genres can spread like wildfire).

Yet still, of all the poke spin offs, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Saga remains as the most influential pokemon spin off as of now for me.

I think we're making this all waaaaay more complicated than it has to be. Spin-off fics would be fics about PMD, Conquest and (maybe) Ranger, though the last could fit a human-centric fic. Fics that combine two franchises, like the Phineas and Ferb one, or the Pirates of the Caribbean one are crossover fics. We agreed some time ago that we'll try out a specifically PMD category this year. Ranger, in my opinion at least, needs no seperate category from human-centric, and to the best of my knowledge, there are no ranger fics up for vote. I could see Conquest fics as either fitting under pre-existing categories, or getting a category of it's own. However, that's not a problem this year because, again to the best of my knowledge, there are no Conquest fics here as of yet.

In short: a spin off category would include stories drawn from the side games that have a very different feel from the other games in the series. Conquest, PMD, Pinball, Trozei would all fit here. (Side note, has anyone ever written a pinball or trozei fic? That would be... cool, I guess.)

Games like Ranger, Colosseum and XD play similar and have similar storylines to the main series games, ergo don't really merit being in the hypothetical spin-off category. And before people freak out about how Ranger is different, I merely say this because it involves moving around on an overworld map, collecting pokemon for a browser and defeating an evil team bent on conquest/pokemon snatching, though with a different mechanic than pokeballs, and the captures aren't permanent.

I think that because the only spin-off games we're dealing with this year is the PMD series, we shouldn't worry about a spin-off category until such a time comes that there is a significant number of other spin-off games being made into fics. To the other proposal on the other page before, I think the status of Trainer fics is fine, though if there is any confusion, perhaps clarifying it as "Human-centric"? But as it is now, I think most people understand that about the category anyway.

I think that because the only spin-off games we're dealing with this year is the PMD series, we shouldn't worry about a spin-off category until such a time comes that there is a significant number of other spin-off games being made into fics. To the other proposal on the other page before, I think the status of Trainer fics is fine, though if there is any confusion, perhaps clarifying it as "Human-centric"? But as it is now, I think most people understand that about the category anyway.

But wouldn't creating a category for all spin offs be a healthy preemptive motion? If Ranger or Conquest fics become popular, then there'd be a category for it and we wouldn't have such bickering next year.

But, anyway, I say that each author can nominate two authors, @ a maximum of five categories. Max of 10 authors total, 2x5=10

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But wouldn't creating a category for all spin offs be a healthy preemptive motion? If Ranger or Conquest fics become popular, then there'd be a category for it and we wouldn't have such bickering next year.

I'd say it's something we can keep in our pockets, but there's not much use for a category no one is nominated for... We can put it on the table, archive it for a later date, and cross that bridge when (or rather, if) we come to it.

I'd say it's something we can keep in our pockets, but there's not much use for a category no one is nominated for... We can put it on the table, archive it for a later date, and cross that bridge when (or rather, if) we come to it.

But of course we'd have people nominated to it, since it would envelop PMD fics and take over that category...

But wouldn't creating a category for all spin offs be a healthy preemptive motion? If Ranger or Conquest fics become popular, then there'd be a category for it and we wouldn't have such bickering next year.

I agree with this. If there was just a spin-off section then that would cover a wide area. Even if the only nominated ones were PMD then it wouldn't matter because that category still covers it and if I remember correctly I saw one Conquest fic. I don't know if it's popular or not, but still.

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Originally Posted by Sidewinder

While it is very reminiscent of a lot of journey trainer fics, it held my attention. It stands out among a lot of the other fics I've read lately and I'm excited to continue the story.

In theory yes, but seeing as the only spin off fics we have this year are PMD, why not just call the category that until such a time arises that we have a conquest fic or two to nominate?

I disagree. Even if only Mystery Dungeon fics get nominated this year, I think it's better to leave the category as open as possible so there's no need to retread it later on whenever changing it over gets done.

Release the past, escape the future...Most Recent: 20: The Weight of the World (Part 2)Next: Father

I disagree. Even if only Mystery Dungeon fics get nominated this year, I think it's better to leave the category as open as possible so there's no need to retread it later on whenever changing it over gets done.

I agree. I just genuinely don't see any reason to just make it a Mystery Dungeon category when it can be a little more inclusive this year and more inclusive in the long term as a general spinoff category.

Release the past, escape the future...Most Recent: 20: The Weight of the World (Part 2)Next: Father

When do we start at least nominating? We're halfway through December already.

Not until January, because anything posted up to and on December 31 is fair game.

And I assume voting is public, right? Not polls.

Voting is conducted using a special ballot form that Dragonfree generously creates every year. The administrators of voting (myself and Dragonfree) have a password to view the voting records but this information is not publicly available.

Release the past, escape the future...Most Recent: 20: The Weight of the World (Part 2)Next: Father